Operation Flashpoint: Resistance

Operation Flashpoint: Resistance
Developer(s)	Bohemia Interactive Studio
Publisher(s)	Codemasters
Composer(s)	Ondrej Matejka
Series	Operation Flashpoint
Engine	Real Virtuality
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	WW 10 July 2002
Genre(s)	Tactical shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Distribution	CD-ROM

Operation Flashpoint: Resistance (also known as ARMA: Resistance) is an expansion pack to Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis. It was developed by Bohemia Interactive, authors of the original game, and published by Codemasters. It is second expansion of Operation Flashpoint while the first one is Operation Flashpoint: Red Hammer, which was developed by Codemasters. Resistance was later re-released as part of ArmA: Cold War Assault.

Gameplay

Player controls the character of Victor who usually leads a Squad of partisans against Soviet Enemies

The gameplay is the same as the original game. It varies significantly depending on the player's role, but the game is best described as a tactical shooter with significant vehicle elements and minor real-time tactics elements. OFP 's gameplay is largely team oriented and the player spends much of the game with a squad of up to 11 AI controlled members, either as a member of the squad or as its leader. On-foot gameplay and the vehicle elements are blended seamlessly and the player can get into any available vehicle at any time, orders and mission conditions permitting. Whether on foot or in a vehicle the player can view the action from both first and third-person views, as well as an additional 'command view' available to squad leaders which gives the player a limited birds-eye view of the surrounding area. At the start of each mission the player is presented with a briefing explaining the situation, describing the player's goals in the mission and, often, providing further information in the form of notes. Once in-game the player is provided with a map, compass, watch, and a notebook. Depending on the mission the player may be required to participate in and complete a variety of tasks, from simply driving a truck or guarding bases to attacking or defending various objectives, patrols, reconnaissance and sabotage behind enemy lines, air support, or any combination of these and more.

When the player is given command of a squad of NPCs, the game becomes more strategy oriented. As a leader the player is responsible for guiding the squad to its objectives and is able to issue a wide variety of orders to men under their command, such as movement orders, designation of priority targets, formation orders and various other tactical instructions governing how they should behave such as holding fire or attacking only select targets.

Resistance features updated graphics, sounds, and multiplayer mechanics. Unlike Cold War Crisis, which is more focused on infantry combat, Resistance focuses heavily on guerrilla warfare and its tactics such as raids, ambushes, escape, and evasion. The player can also control AI guerrilla units giving it an RTS feel. There are also many weapons and vehicles ranging from Tokarev pistols and AK-47 assault rifles, to LAW rocket launchers and Hind attack helicopters. Multiplayer mode is also included, which can be PvP or co-op. The mission editor from Cold War Crisis has been retained, where players can create their own multiplayer maps. In the beginning of the game, an invasion takes place from a civilian's point of view. In certain missions, the player can call for guerrilla reinforcements, but only in missions where it is part of the objective.

Plot

The story is set to a 95 km² large island of Nogova .

There also is new campaign and new island Nogova which lies on 144 Square kilometers. Towns and villages are named mostly after real places in the Czech Republic. The plot is inspired by the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.^[1]

The storyline takes place in 1982, three years before the events of Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis. The player takes on the role of an ex-special operations soldier, Victor "Viking Viki" Troska, who has returned to his homeland of Nogova after years in exile serving with British Special Forces. During the first introductory mission to the campaign, the island is invaded by the Soviet Union after some members of the Nogovan socialist party betray the country and invite Soviet forces to overthrow the government. Troska is approached by Nogovans who are resisting the Soviet occupation and asked to join them. Initially, Troska refuses to have any part in the fighting and rebukes them because he wants to put combat behind him and also he believes that any resistance will be futile and the inexperience of the partisans will get them killed. Later, a wounded guerrilla fighter being pursued by Soviet soldiers takes refuge in Troska's shed. When Soviet soldiers, led by Colonel Guba, arrive and threaten to shoot Troska and his friends if they don't co-operate, Troska is forced to make a decision: betraying the partisan, trying to negotiate with the Soviets or fighting off the Soviet soldiers and joining the resistance.

• The first choice makes Victor to join the Soviets who give him a task to locate the main resistance base and reveal its position to Soviets. After finding the base, Victor is once again forced to decide whether he will betray the partisans or lead the Soviets to the false location to join the resistance anyway. If he chooses to betray them, the Soviets win and Victor is executed with the other partisans as a traitor who cannot be trusted because he betrayed his close friends.
• The second choice only makes the Soviets more angry and the negotiation is unsuccessful.
• The last choice forces Victor to grab the gun, kill the Soviets holding him and his friends at gunpoint, and escape to join the resistance.

When Victor joins the resistance, he is immediately forced to take command and fight the Soviets who attack their base and kill the resistance commander. Then he leads his units to assault some Soviet bases and convoys to collect some weapons, ammunition, and tanks as the resistance forces have only a limited supply of weapons. Besides the fighting, this becomes a very important objective through all throughout the campaign. After some initial successful actions more people begin to join the resistance, making it stronger. Later, the resistance receives some weapons and supplies from the Americans who also send an old friend of Victor's, Major James Gastovski, and his team in to assist the resistance. Victor is also helped by "Tasmanian Devil", an informant of unknown identity who passes critical information to him via radio (he is later discovered by the Soviets and killed). The successful actions drive the Soviets back until they are pushed to the airfield where Guba holds his tactical bombers to be used to obliterate Nogova after the Soviet retreat. Victor manages to destroy the bombers but the Soviets encircle him and is missing after that, presumed dead. The American forces sent by Colonel Blake wipe out the remaining Soviet forces but Guba escapes in a helicopter before the final defeat.

Characters

The main protagonist, Victor (middle), leads Nogovan partisans against the Soviets. He is helped by his old friend James (right) and his second-in-command Geronimo (left).

• Victor Troska - He is the main protagonist of the game and the leader of Nogovan resistance. According to the information he went into exile and later returned to Nogova to help with overthrowing of the pro-Soviet regime.^[2] He lives in Nogova where he is employed as a judge. After the Soviet invasion of Nogova, he reluctantly joins the partisans and becomes their leader.
• Colonel Aleksei Vasilyevich Guba - He is the main antagonist in the game and the commander of Soviet forces in Nogova. He is a colonel of the Soviet Armed Forces.
• Major James Gastovski - A member of Special Forces (United States Army). He is an old friend of Victor. They served together but James didn't leave the army. He is sent to Nogova as part of special operation to help the resistance and chooses to retire after the Soviets on Nogova are defeated.
• Geronimo - He is the second highest partisan leader. He participated in founding the resistance.
• Tasmanian Devil - He is a person who informs partisans about Soviet plans. His identity remains unknown for the whole game. He is later located by Soviets and killed.
• Stoyan Yakotich - Resistance member who serves under Troska. He is accidentally killed by another partisan who was about to commit Desertion.
• Gabriel - The original leader of Nogovan resistance and its founder. He is killed during Soviet attack causing Victor Troska to replace him.^[3]
• Liz - Victor's love interest. She is a widow. Her husband Adam was friend of Troska. She is taken as a hostage by Soviet forces and killed in a firefight between resistance and Soviet forces.

Reception

Resistance was released to very positive reviews. It was praised for its story and the whole idea of guerrilla warfare as well as its for missions and technical improvements but it was also criticised by some reviews. Technical improvements are according to some critics unnoticeable and missions were criticised for less variety than the original game.^[4][5][6]

ActionTrip released a review that praised the guerilla warfare and extra content. On the other hand it noted the dated engine and dodgy AI.^[7]

GameRevolution praised the fact that, unlike the original, player controls only one character in the story whichh makes it easier to attach to him. The Review also praised the level design and the new campaign with a solid story but with less variety than the original.^[8]

GameVortex criticised Resistance expansion for not being any big imrovement but single-player campaign has a replay value and also praised the Multi-player. The review recommended the expansion only to those who loved the original.^[9]

References